This final grade calculator finds the exam score you need to reach a target course grade. Enter the current overall grade shown before the final, the course grade you want, and the final exam's percentage of the full course.
Use the final's full-course weight
The direct calculation needs only three values, but each must describe the same full-course grading formula.
Use the overall grade shown after completed work but before the final exam is added.
If the syllabus says the final is 20% of the course, enter 20—not the percentage of remaining work.
A result above 100% needs extra credit; a result at or below 0% means the target is already secured under the stated formula.
Example: 87% current, 90% target, 20% final
- The current grade supplies
87% × 80% = 69.6%of the course. - The target needs another 20.4 percentage points from the final.
- Dividing
20.4% ÷ 20%gives a required final score of 102.00%.
Why the final weight changes the answer
A larger final controls more of the overall grade, so each point earned on it moves the course result farther. The same gap may be unreachable on a 10%-weighted final but attainable on a 40%-weighted final. That is why the weight must come from the syllabus rather than a generic default.
What the possible range means
The low end assumes a 0% final and the high end assumes a 100% final. It is a fast boundary check. If the target is above the high end, the calculator will label the required score as needing extra credit.
Frequently asked questions
What grade do I need on the final to pass my class?
Enter your current course grade, the passing percentage as the target, and the final exam's course weight. The answer is the minimum final percentage required under that weighted formula.
What score do I need just to keep my current grade?
Use your current percentage as both Current course grade and Target course grade. Under a simple weighted final, the required final score will equal that current percentage.
How much can the final exam actually move my grade?
The possible range shows the course grade produced by final scores of 0% and 100%. A 20%-weighted final can move the overall grade by at most 20 percentage points between those extremes.